Pittsburgh Pirates' Ryan O'Hearn, right, returns to the dugout after hitting a two-run home run off Baltimore Orioles pitcher Chris Bassitt during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH — Ryan O’Hearn homered and matched a career high with four RBIs as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-2 on Sunday to sweep a three-game series and extend their winning streak to five.

O’Hearn hit a two-run shot to right-center in the first inning. In the second, his two-run double highlighted a four-run outburst as the Pirates pushed their lead to 6-0.

“I know the offense wasn’t great last year, but this is a completely new team with a completely new lineup,” O’Hearn said. “Forget about whatever happened the last few years. I don’t care about that. This team is a good team. I’m excited to show up to work every day and go to battle with these guys.”

Oneil Cruz made it 8-1 with a two-run homer to center field in the sixth. He also singled home a run in the second.

Cruz’s homer came off left-hander Cade Povich. The center fielder is 7 for 10 with three homers against lefties after going 11 for 108 with one homer last season.

“It’s really impressive and speaks to the work he put in this offseason,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said of Cruz. “He worked really hard. He did it consistently throughout the offseason. He came into spring training with that goal in mind. Really proud of him accomplishing that with power.”

That was plenty of support for Braxton Ashcraft (1-1), who allowed one run and four hits in six innings. He had a career-high eight strikeouts and no walks.

Pirates starters have given up two earned runs or fewer in each of their eight games since 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes was tagged for five runs while only getting two outs against the New York Mets on opening day.

“We’ve put in a lot of work over these last five days, and it paid off,” Ashcraft said. “That’s a testament to the people that we have around us, (pitching coach Bill Murphy), and all the other guys out there watching every (bull)pen and watching every throwing program. You get to piggyback off of their thoughts and how they see you move. It really helps.”

Orioles starter Chris Bassitt (0-2) was roughed up for six runs in two innings. Signed to an $18.5 million, one-year contract as a free agent just before spring training, the right-hander has given up 10 runs over 6• innings in two starts.

Pete Alonso had an RBI double and Taylor Ward got three hits for the Orioles, who lost for the fifth time in six games.

“There’s a lot of good energy floating around this clubhouse right now,” Ashcraft said. “We’re excited for what’s to come.”

Saturday’s game

Nick Yorke singled home Bryan Reynolds in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Pirates to a 3-2 victory over the Orioles on Saturday.

Reynolds doubled against Ryan Helsley (0-1) with one out. Baltimore then intentionally walked O’Hearn to bring up Yorke, who had entered as a pinch runner in the eighth. Yorke worked the count to 2-2 and fouled off a couple of pitches before Helsley delivered a 99 mph fastball that home plate umpire Dan Iassogna ruled a ball.

Helsley tapped his head to initiate an ABS challenge but the Orioles were out of them after failing on a pair of challenges earlier in the game. Yorke took the next pitch and lined a shot over the head of Baltimore left fielder Dylan Beavers to lift the Pirates to their fourth straight victory.

Reynolds had two of Pittsburgh’s eight hits. Jake Mangum delivered a game-tying run with an infield single in the eighth.

Dennis Santana (2-0) pitched a perfect ninth to set the stage for Yorke.

Adley Rutschman had two hits for Baltimore. Beavers and Leodys Taveras each drove in a run for the Orioles, who have dropped four of five. Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso went 0 for 4 and is now hitless in his last 11 at-bats.

The Pirates tied it in the eighth thanks to some shaky glove work by the Orioles. Designated hitter Marcell Ozuna reached when Baltimore third baseman Colby Mayo couldn’t wrangle a soft tapper. Yorke came on to run for Ozuna and made it to third via two groundouts and scored when Orioles second baseman Blaze Alexander couldn’t cleanly field Mangum’s chopper to the left side of the infield.

Shane Baz limited the Pirates to just one unearned run over 5ª innings. The right-hander — a former first-round pick by the Pirates in 2017 — missed out on his first victory with the Orioles since being acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay when Baltimore’s defense faltered late.

Triolo on IL

The Pirates placed infielder Jared Triolo on the injured list and recalled outfielder/first baseman Billy Cook from Triple-A Indianapolis.

Triolo has a right knee patellar tendon injury. He is hitting .217 in six games.

Cook made the Pirates’ opening day roster but appeared in only one game and did not have an at-bat before being sent down. In two games at Indianapolis, Cook went 3 for 9 with a home run.

Up next

The Pirates begin a three-game home series with San Diego on Monday night as rookie RHP Bubba Chandler (0-0, 0.00) faces RHP Germán Márquez (0-1, 12.00).